Despite loss, Dhoni likes Mumbai track

Mumbai: Mahendra Singh Dhoni's demand for designer pitches may have proved to be counter productive in the second Test, but the Team India captain is not ready to budge.

Instead, he gave a thumbs-up to the Wankhede wicket. "As far as turning tracks go, this was a very good wicket. Test matches should be held on such wickets as the toss does not become a vital factor," he said.

The Mumbai Cricket Association is also not finding any fault with the wicket. "The pitch behaved well… There was bounce and turn… Let's accept that we batted badly," said joint secretary Nitin Dalal.

Neither Sudhir Naik, West Zone's representative on the Board's grounds and pitches committee, nor Ramesh Mamunkar, the Wankhede curator, would speak on the issue.

However, a groundsman, who was involved in the preparation of the pitch, told The Telegraph: "We prepared the pitch according to the wishes of the MCA… We were asked to prepare a turner and we did so… "

Dhoni also made his intentions clear about the nature of the wicket he wants at the Eden. "We would like a typical subcontinental wicket in Calcutta, which should turn."

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